ASOIAF Perk System
by SovngardeIsHere
Summary: Ripped from the world he once knew, a man finds himself in a strange land with a power that is said to grant him mutations to better survive in this land. Join Griffith as he finds his destiny in the world. Note: The Adventure tag will be well earned. Not for the light-hearted. Dark fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Congratulations! You have been selected by the 'OLD ONES' as a player for the PERK SYSTEM.**

**Please select an option.**

**[Continue] or [Decline (Die)]**

I rubbed my eyes. What the hell was I seeing? I could not say that I had never seen anything like this before as I did indeed read novels and play video games. The concept of reincarnation through a videogame was intriguing, to say the least. I decided not to ponder too much on it and decided to give it a go as I did not want to die.

**[Continue] Selected.**

**Welcome to the PERK SYSTEM. The system was created specifically for a mortal of your understanding. As the divines cannot simply give power out for free a system was created in order to barter for divine blessings or PERKs.**

I blinked at the message. I soon noticed that something was gravely wrong. I looked left and right, swaying in my gaze, yet I did not see my body or anything at all. I could not see anything but the screen in front of me. As if it read my mind, the screen spoke.

**Your mortal body has yet to be 'chosen', dependent on the choices you make in the customization.**

I calmed down just a little bit. I decided not to think too hard on the fact that I would most likely take over a 'chosen' body of someone, better them than me. What was the perk system anyways?

**The PERK SYSTEM is a store where the player can exchange currency for powers. As the chosen one, you will get a random special PERK for free as the 'OLD ONES' want at least some amusement and would not leave you helpless.**

I got excited at the mention of powers. Regardless of what hell this system was planning on having me endure, I would gladly embrace fire, ash and steel. Who were these 'Old Ones' that the system kept on mentioning?

**The OLD ONES are the elder spirits and deities of the world of Planetos. They are the trees and roots of the world. They are both chaos and order. They shape life how they see fit. Further information will be revealed later.**

I nodded at the message. I got slightly excited to see that the world that I would enter would be one of my favourites. Don't get me wrong, the world of ice and fire is dangerous, however, it is only really dangerous to those who play the game and those who dabble in arts which are dangerous. Unlike the majority of the world, I was educated much more than the greatest maester, who would only have a medieval education. Just my speech alone should fool even nobles to think that I'm of some importance. The powers are just icing on the cake.

**Character 'Creation'**

**[Male] or [Female]**

I shouted 'male' so fast and loud the voice echoed for a moment of two. I breathed heavily for a few moments, no doubt in my mind that I would be red-faced if I still had a face. This was not going to be one of those weird gender-bending games. If that happened I would probably jump off the nearest cliff to end the suffering. I shook my head.

**Choose starting continent:**

**Westeros (The lands beyond the wall are not fully known.)**

**Essos (Majority of continent known.)**

**Sothoryos (Rumoured to be as big as Essos. Only the coast is known.)**

**Ulthos (Almost completely unknown landmass.)**

**Unknown Part (Start in a place not known. Warning: not recommended.)**

I thought for minutes on which place to begin. The unknown part was completely thrown out, hell even the system didn't recommend it. I wouldn't want to end up in some devilish place where rituals of the night took place. Ulthos was thrown out for that same reason, as well as the fact that it was so close to Asshai and I was staying the hell away from that place as long as I could.

Essos was out due to the rampant slavery and the general amount of dangerous shit there. There were too many knives there for my liking. Sothoryos might at first seem cool as there were wyverns there, but make no mistake, it was a land of pestilence. Nine out of ten people there would contract some disease and half of those would die, the other half would wish they had died. The local people were also cannibals and strange pig-like men. I would like to visit Sothoryos, however, not while I was weak.

Westeros wasn't actually that bad. If you played your cards right you could be very powerful. However, the key to winning in Westeros is to not become a person of power, to instead influence that person of power from the shadows. You could still become a powerful person, just not set your eyes on that cursed throne and you would be fine.

**[Westeros] Selected.**

**Please select region:**

**Beyond the Wall (1 extra special PERK point awarded)**

**The North**

**The Iron Islands**

**The Riverlands**

**The Vale**

**The Westerlands**

**The Crownlands**

**The Stormlands**

**The Reach**

**Dorne**

As I viewed the options I was slightly conflicted. The extra perk point was tempting, but the dangers of being a wildling were so great that it wasn't worth it. Plus what if the Others could somehow sense I knew of them and the fate that was to come. Also, someone might kill me if I end up taking over someone's body and start acting differently as skinchanging is very real beyond the wall and although I know it's not really possible for just any person to enter the mind of a person, the wildlings believe that skinchangers can, even though it is taboo even to them.

The Iron Islands were completely thrown out, no question about it. I had no desire to rape and pillage. The Riverlands were a nice place to live normally, however it was unfortunately located in the middle of Westeros and as such wars always seemed to be fought in its lands. The Westerlands were dismissed due to Tywin and the fact that 'The Mountain' lived there. The Mountain was so horrible he would even rape and kill his own subjects.

The vale was actually alright. I could see myself among the more passive lords there, however that crazy bitch Lysa Arryn was ruler there and I did not want any part in Peter's games. Dorne and the Crownlands were too treacherous for my taste, too much politics. Even though Doran Martell was a genius seemingly in name only, as he had yet to really do anything, he was still too dangerous. The Crownlands were dismissed simply because I was staying the hell away from the bloody Lannisters and 'The Spider' seemingly hated sorcery and I would catch his ire if he caught wind of my abilities.

The Reach was okay until they would undoubtedly get burned to the ground. They also had the 'Faith' which again would not tolerate sorcery. I sighed deeply, the majority of this world looked at magic as if it were an abomination, it instead is how you use the gifts you were given that would mark you as good or evil. I decided against the Stormlands as I really didn't want to get mixed up in a bullshit succession war and the fact that Renly really had no claim to the throne. As much as people hate on Stannis, he actually was the true king, however, no one really acknowledged the fact.

With all that in mind, I selected 'The North' as it was more tolerant of magic than other places as the First Men did possess magic in their blood through interbreeding with the 'Children'. Also, I did like the Stark children and even though they could be dark at times, the light they shone outweighed it. Also, the family was one of prophecy and hopefully, my place and my own journey could be discovered along the way.

**[The North] Selected.**

**Choose social standing:**

**Noble (50% chance of being crippled or deformed. 90% chance of belonging to a minor house.)**

**Bastard (Smallfolk and nobles hate you alike. Does not mean you will be an acknowledged bastard. 1 minor PERK awarded. Will start off with coin.) **

**Commoner (People will disrespect you, however, you are in charge of your destiny. Greater respect among the smallfolk. 2 minor PERKs awarded.)**

Goddamn, I didn't want to be a noble, but with those negatives, I certainly wouldn't choose it now. Besides this is a time for me to make my own name and have it be told as a song for ages to come. What are minor perks anyway?

**Special PERKs are supernatural mutations that alter your body to become something more than it once was. Magical abilities fall under this. Minor PERKs consist of altering your body to grant abilities you could have earned in time. Weapon masteries and skills like hunting or crafting fall under this. You may combine minor Perks to increase mastery of a skill.**

I was getting more and more excited by the second. Being a bastard would be absolutely horrible, especially if I wasn't acknowledged as then I would basically be a commoner with a target on my back. Plus the only acknowledged bastards that I remembered were Jon and Ramsay and somehow I highly doubt that I would be reborn as Jon. Even the sliver of a chance that I would take on the form of a Bolton convinced me to choose the commoner path.

**[Commoner] Selected.**

**Character Creation now complete. Please select 2 minor PERKs from the list below or use both to increase mastery of one skill. 5 Years of mastery will be added to your body and mind for each skill.**

**Hunting (Can sneak up on animals much easier. Animals will be less skittish around you and will trust you more)**

**Tracking (Able to differentiate between different animal tracks. Able to spot the lightest of tracks)**

**Stealth (Can blend in the background. Lighter footsteps and nimble fingers)**

**Archery (Can always hit a still target, greater chance to hit moving ones)**

**Swordsmanship (Average Knight)**

**Blacksmithing (You have been an apprentice for some time, you can now forge iron and steel) **

**Negotiation (You have a silver tongue. Note: due to commoner status, will not be as effective on nobles)**

**Navigation (You can sail like the Ironborn) **

**Swimming (You can swim as well as any Ironborn. Ability to hold breath underwater increased)**

**Horsemanship (Average knight's horsemanship.)**

There were a lot of choices here. All of them sounded good and all were skills that I needed in a medieval place like Westeros. Blacksmithing might seem like a good skill to have to make some coin, however, I did not want to just reduce my destiny to be a supporting character. Plus it was useless unless I had the materials to work with.

It would be easier to just steal a sword off a person or bandit. Navigation and swimming might have been good if I had chosen to become a reaver, but in the North, it was quite useless as there were not really any ships. I already knew basic hunting and tracking myself so I wouldn't waste my points on them.

To be honest, the only skills that appealed to me were the only ones that couldn't be learned easily. Swordsmanship and horsemanship. You couldn't really receive instruction in the sword unless you were really rich or a noble. Guards may be trained a little, but only to a level where they knew how to use the sword. Horsemanship because it really was the main travel method of this time and I didn't want to look like a fool. So I decided to choose both of them.

**[Swordsmanship] and [Horsemanship] Selected.**

**CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed the customization.**

**You will now be transported to your 'new' body.**

**Warning: Magical mutation will occur as you are unconscious.**

**The system will remind the player that this is not a game. One lucky hit will kill the player as one hit would even kill a dragon. There will not be any quests except for ones that the player chooses to go on himself. This will be the last time that the player will interact with the system like this. From now on it will simply be an exchange shop. As is in this brutal world, magic and power often has the price of blood and death.**

**In order to gain PERK points, the player will have to kill and capture the souls of the fallen. This can only be done by consuming the heart of the fallen while the blood is still fresh and in the presence of moonlight. Every 10 sacrifices will earn you a minor PERK point and at 100 sacrifices you shall be given a special PERK. However, certain events shall gift you with a special mutation, not all these events will be pleasant.**

**The system wishes you luck, for now, oblivion awaits.**

I had no time to process the fact that I would soon become a cannibal in this twisted adventure. As soon as the system bade me farewell I felt a fiery pain that soon consumed me. I could only taste of fire and ash, of life and death. Soon the blackness of night and the unknown seemed to take over my consciousness and I seemed to fade.

When I woke up, I felt unsteady and in pain. I soon shook myself out of my stupor as I felt wet grass around me and as the morning dew invaded my senses. "Where am I? W-what happened to me?" I stammered out as tried to remember why I was in a forest of massive proportions.

As I observed my environment, I noticed something was off about me. As I brought my hand towards my face I noticed my skin was different, not only was it pale, almost deathly so, but it was seemingly more rough as if it was struck by sandpaper. I brought my hand toward my face and pulled at the locks in my hair. I pulled a long black lock of hair, so black it seemed as if was burnt.

I noticed my clothing and it was strange, to say the least. I seemed to be wearing furs and a gambeson of some sort. Then all of a sudden, memories seemed to assault my mind and I almost screamed out. At the end of it, I remembered everything and more. I remembered of the system and man whose body I now claimed for my own. Griffith was his name and other than hunting, he seemingly lived a boring life, except he dreamed of exploring the world and unravelling mysteries that are clouded in darkness. I would fulfill these dreams in honour of the fallen soul. It was the least that could be done.

Luckily it seemed as he had no family left, all having died in wars. An awful thing to be thankful for I'm sure, but I could not risk being seen as different by those close to the original body. I noticed I had a bow and a steel dagger with me so I would not be defenceless. I was weary so I decided to rest against the trunk of a tree.

"Ah, it has all gone to shit, hasn't it?" I asked myself as I sighed heavily.

I looked on in the distance, I was doing it unconsciously, but as I stared ahead I imagined the area and soon I felt like I was ripped from space and time as I seemingly appeared in that area. I looked left and right and I was indeed in another place.

"What the hell!" I shouted out in disbelief. This could only have been the cause of some sorcery. In that moment I was answered.

**Special PERK gained.**

**Blink:**

**The journey of a thousand miles starts with but a single step and you have to travel much further in your quest for destiny. You have traversed through dimensions and as such you have found shortcuts in your travels. Ability to instantly travel between places without traversing the space in between. Can teleport anywhere in a radius of 100 meters around the player. This distance cannot be increased, however, it can be used as much as you want. To activate, just think of an area around you and 'blink'.**

I rubbed my eyes at the message. The knowledge of everything relating to the ability seemed to travel towards my mind and I stood there stunned. I tried it a few more times and each time I felt more and confident in my abilities.

I suddenly remembered that the year was 296 AC and that there would be a tourney soon enough in Winterfell as there was yearly to boost morale in the North. I had one year to boost my abilities and grow my strength, I may have had reservations about consuming hearts and sacrificing people, but in this dark world, it could be considered a mercy for those pitiful souls.

As I was contemplating morals, I heard a howl in the distance followed by more. I grabbed my dagger and prepared myself for the battle to come. This was certainly an interesting introduction to the world of ice and fire.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a bleak, cold morning, and the sky seemed to darken as if the light burnt the sky creating ash. The sounds of nature seemed to whistle throughout the forest, carried by the wind and putting me on guard. Basic senses long shackled seemed to burst free like a broken dam as I slowed down my breathing and closed my eyes. The beast within seemed to take over as I sniffed the air like a hound does his prey. Piney wind brought many smells to me, those of dirt and vegetation, but underneath it all, it brought me musk and sweat.

It was different from a man, while they might release their true scents in times when water was scarce, this scent was different. It was brought on by a feeling of excitement, one more primal in nature as if it was strengthening itself before an attack. In this state I seemed to let go of my fear and subconsciously dimmed my mind as in a battle like this you needn't ponder too much, just act.

The howls once again ripped through the air as if they were blown from a horn by a great general waging battle. My opponents were making their way to who they marked as prey, something fatty to fill their bellies for the night, however, even a stag has antlers and they would soon find that out. My eyes opened and felt like they burning, as if sand and dust were whipped into them. My breath puffed out warm and white wisps from chapped lips.

I ground my feet into the dirt below and readied myself, the hunt was on. Often times animals would avoid marking men as prey as they were too numerous and hunted in their own packs. A man alone, however, was a feeble thing. They relied on their brute strength and their eyes, but their nose and ears have long since festered and wasted. Deer were weak, but faster. Bears and lions stronger. Men had tools, but would still be hard-pressed against a pack of beasts and these wolves knew it. By now they should have discerned that I was alone, they would take that risk.

The bushes seemed to rustle, subtlety was not needed here it seemed. Five beasts of varying grey seemed to pour out of the thickets and they flooded the clearing that I stood in. The wolves snarled and bared their fangs at me sharp as icicles. The largest of the pack seemed to breathe in the air, being wary and making sure that I was alone. When satisfied he too bared his hatred onto me as he growled lowly, silently commanding his pack to encircle me.

My throat pulsed as if bracing itself for attack. It was a common strategy among wolves to aim for the throat to end the fight as fast as they could. Each member of the pack knew their place and would plan and act their parts in blocking the prey from escaping. Normally I would be quite restless in a situation that warranted such danger, however, with my newfound abilities I never felt so alive.

I licked my lips and my knuckles whitened around the blade that I held. Movements and stances flashed through my head as if I were trained in the blade for many years. I widened my stance and brought my blade up high in a defensive position. The wolves continued to close the distance, wary of the grey claw that I held in my hands. There was a moment where my eyes fell upon the runt of pack and as my icy blue eyes met his sinister yellow, time seemed to slow down. He tensed up and I readied myself. As I noticed a slight twitch he shot forward like a grey bullet taking aim. At the last second I moved towards the left as he crashed into the ground rolling around in the dirt like a pig. As I moved away, I felt a slight sting in my shoulders. It seemed like he had clipped me slightly.

Quickly I shot the alpha a look and noticed that he was observing the battle, trying to pick apart any weaknesses I showed. I looked at the other wolves, they circled me, and however, they too were content on letting the runt fight this battle. It almost seemed as if it were a test or a punishment for this beast as if he dishonored the pack and needed redemption. The beast sprang into the air like a raptor and fell on me like a great meteor to the earth. As we wrestled into the dirt, my blade slipped out of my grasp.

The beast kept on trying to snap its jaws into my neck, but with my strength I pushed it away. Spittle and putrid breath invaded my senses slightly disorienting me as I grabbed hold of the runt's necks and started to squeeze like a great snake. At once the beast took hold of my left arm and bit down drawing blood. I screamed as the liquid trickled down my arm staining my shirt red. Without any sense I started flailing madly at the beast in my pain. It seemed like I got lucky as my nail dug into his eyeball causing the beast to let go of my arm. As it screamed I quickly raised my fist and smashed it into wolf's nose hard, throwing it off me.

I sprung to my feet as soon as it was off of me. I breathed piney air in greedily and looked to the pack and noticed surprise on their faces, it seemed if I did not finish with this outcast, I would soon be surrounded. I turned towards the downed wolf and he seemed to stare at me for but a moment before running towards me. It would seem as if he thought he knew all of my tricks, he would soon be corrected. A glint seemed to sparkle in the corner of my eyes and as the grey blur shadowed the sky, I made my move. I imagined the area with my blade and soon enough I found myself moving through space and time as I blinked away.

As I appeared, I kicked up the blade and as it twirled through the air I reached out and grasped it once more. To the beasts around me it seemed as if I disappeared out of thin air and moved like the wind. Their brains could not comprehend how it was possible for a human to have done as I had and they all immediately backed off and grouped up with the alpha, leaving the runt. As I gazed into the eyes of the wolf before me I could see something new, fear. It seemed to swallow its fear as a lump appeared in its throat, however, I would not give it that chance.

With the blade extended I imagined the area slightly left of the wolf and blinked right next to him. As the grass crunched beside the wolf, he noticed that I had somehow appeared beside him. As if in disbelief he looked back to the trees where I previously was and in that moment of weakness I struck. As if I was the stranger himself I flew towards the beast, my dagger like claws and my shouts roars. I jumped on his back and stabbed deeply into the neck of the beast. A meaty spurt was heard as I drove deeper and twisted my blade, amplifying the damage. I pulled my blade out and as the smell of iron invaded my nose. Once I started I could not stop and started to stab him again and again. Thick fur providing no resistance for my fury.

Only when I sensed danger did I stop and kick the wolf off me. The carcass hit and stumbled another wolf of the pack. As I looked around the field, I noticed that they all were closing in on me. It seems like the games were over, the real fight was starting now. I glared at the beasts before me, daring one to strike. "Come on then, you bastards, come at me!" I taunted them and it seemed to work.

The wolves didn't bother trying to circle around me this time, they just wanted to overwhelm me and take a bloody chunk out of my neck. Every time a wolf appeared to strike I would bend and weave and if I could not dodge then I would blink away out of their range. I already tried to slay another of their pack, however, it was not that simple. When I aimed at one wolf, the others would rush towards me gifting me no respite. If I wanted to end this fight I had to be smart, I needed to split the pack up.

With that though in mind, I crouched down low toward the ground and picked up a single stone. I tossed it in the air a few times to get the feel of it and then took aim at a random wolf. I chucked it and it sailed through the air and right into the temple of the second largest wolf. The wolf staggered and howled in pain. It seemed to have been blinded its right eye, for it only glared back at me with its left. As second biggest it must have been prideful and resentful of the fact that it was not the leader, so as hotheaded as it was, it was no surprise when it launched forward paying no attention to protocol and the plan of the pack.

The leader growled and barked in fury at its subordinate leaving their defensive line. This would be the last mistake that the wolf made, I would make sure of it. I blinked farther and farther away, always making sure that the wolf was still behind me, and when I judged the distance to have been adequate, I struck. I blinked to high branch in a tree and the beast below jumped and yelped at me, trying to get me to fall. He clawed and scratched at the base of the tree trying to knock it down like a great bear. I decided to oblige it in its desire and leapt of the branch and into the mouth of the beast.

As I fell from my height, the wolf grew excited and I could see a madness in its lone eye. It lowered itself and like a spring it jumped up in the air with its jaw wide open, spittle flying like rain and teeth like ice. While I fell I grabbed a sharp branch and with gravity at my side I snapped it clean of the great oak and continued my fall towards the beast. Just as I was about to meet the beast head on, I smirked and blinked away just below the wolf. The wolf looked shocked as it teeth smashed against each other and did not taste delicious flesh, it looked below and its eye widened greatly as our positions seemed to have been swapped. I raised the branch now turned pike and pointed it towards the now falling beast and with a little push it skewered the mutt deeply in its belly creating a wet gurgling sound.

It seemed like it had gone into shock and could not process its own death. It clawed weakly at me, but its paws were like cotton and its strength was leaving it by the second. Finally, a glazed look took over its eye and it was no more. I threw the skewered wolf off me harshly and spit at its corpse and prepared myself for the rest of the pack. Like it was planned, three howls echoed in the air alerting me to their presence. "Two down, three to go." I panted out in ragged breaths. I felt like I ran a marathon and I might have in this battle, the forest was immense in size.

As three grey shadows blurred around the trees I knew that the beasts had found me again. They rushed at me blindly, but they kept in a circle protecting each other's weakness. I twirled my blade in the air and licked my lips tasting rancid blood. It would later disgust me, however, in that moment it was like a drug that fueled me forward. I rushed towards them and as they thought that I would clash, I instead blinked away into the distance. They had seemed surprised that I did not meet them head on, I would have, but I was not suicidal. Three wolves in such close proximity to one another would prove too much even with my current ability.

In the distance I picked up rocks and started flinging them towards the beasts before me. They were wary of approaching me due to the fate of their brethren, however, they were still beasts at the end of the day. Pride was a dangerous thing and would prove fatal in this instance for the wolves. With a snarl the leader rushed forward and ordered his companions to flank him on either side. My plan was working and I blinked away several dozen meters at a time. With the distance that I seemed create between us, the wolves pushed themselves into overdrive putting all their strength into running as fast as their legs were capable of. When I ended up back into the original clearing I stopped.

With ragged breaths, I could see the grey wolves enter the clearing creating warm mists of air from their vicious jaws. The one I noticed was a female had her legs quivering, no doubt not having been used to this much effort in taking down prey. As the only female in their pack she must have been treated like a queen by the males or at least protected. I decided that she would be the next target. I eyed the field looking for something to help even the odds. As a waxy brown glint caught my eyes, I smiled.

I blinked around the field, confusing my foes and leaving them on edge. With a risk I decided to do something incredibly stupid, but worth a song. I decided to blink right in between the wolves and kicked them in their rear ends. The wolves yelped in surprise and before they could retaliate, I blinked away and in the distance I watched as they danced around one another biting and scratching at friend instead of foe. I whistled towards them earning their attention and they split up, too wary of one another, like I was wearing the skin of one of them. The wolves charged at me and I blinked around the field and into a large thicket of trees blocking any escape.

The wolves looked ravenous as their drool splashed onto the rock below, they would take no chances; this was it for them. As they closed in, I blinked once again and to where my hunting bow laid against a trunk. Within a breath I grabbed the bow and the quiver and blinked a few feet away from the beasts. I inhaled and time seemed to slow down as I nocked an arrow and pulled back on the string. The string was thin like a maiden's cunt and seemed to possess the pressure of one as it shook in my grasp and at last I released the arrow like a man would his seed. Like a maiden's howls during her first night, the arrow sang through the air hissing. The bitch before me widened her eyes before the arrow sank right into her left eye with a meaty thwack.

Silently she dropped to the floor dead instantly. She had been given a quick death, perhaps the rest would be given the same. The beasts seemed startled by their sister's death, it seemed to anger them and more. Before they got any ideas I blinked away as they charged forward. I drew my bow once more and an arrow shot forward and sank deeply into the smaller wolf's neck. It cried out in pain, however, it was soon silenced by three more arrows. As the alpha howled and barked in rage I nocked an arrow and aimed the bow right at his face stopping him dead in his tracks.

As I kept the bow aimed at him, I could see the fear in his eyes. I chuckled slightly and relaxed the bowstring and threw the bow away towards the ground. He looked surprised and eyed me warily, confused at why I would throw away my weapon. I smiled at the beast. "Let us fight like men in this final exchange, I'll let you die with dignity at least. No trickery and cheap tactics this time, just a battle between warriors." I told the wolf and he seemed to understand me in some primal way as he nodded his head like one would before a duel. Seconds passed and then we rushed at one another.

My dagger raised high in the air and his jaw open and wide, we crashed into each other and wrestled one another on the ground. As we tumbled through the mud and the dirt, caking our skin, I grappled the wolf in a reverse hold keeping pressure on his neck. He was frantic in my hold, barking and snapping at my arms to release himself. With some strength I pulled my left arm up and gripped my blade tight and ripped right through the underside of the beast. Hot blood splashed across my face as my dagger cut his belly open. The wolf cried out, but he was not dead, not yet. Tossing my blade to the side I took my hand and burrowed it deeply into his open belly and pulled his innards free and at last the wolf was no more.

For a moment I laid on the ground drained of my energy. The blood from the beast spilled onto me painting me red and making me stink like I was common thief. I panted deeply and then pushed the body off me. I fell asleep soon after and awoke in the night. As the moonlight tickled me with its warmth, I decided to make camp. I gather the bodies of the wolves from around the clearing and blinked them around me. As the fire flickered around me, I got my blade and started to skin the wolves. They would be useful to me and they would not need them where they were now. With delicate strokes I ripped the flesh off them gently and let them dry off in the distance.

Luckily the forest was rich with game and so I roasted a few rabbits that night for my meal. The next few nights were spend hunting as much game as I could. I hunted half a dozen stags and many more hares in my time in the Wolfswood, luckily Griffith was a hunter and as such had a cart for transporting the carcasses back to a settlement. I salted the meat heavily to preserve it and the natural cold helped as well, and trekked my way back into a village of sorts, from my memory it was named something like Woodstown or something like that. It did not matter, it was an insignificant part in a barren region; it was no White Harbour.

My attire and stinking body seemed to repel the villagers from my path. They would have labeled me a bandit and raised the alarm, however, from my memory I seemed to sell meat in this village on occasion and the people knew me, at least to an extent. As I dragged the cart through the village I soon made my way to middle of it and a rank scent invaded my senses. It stank of old skins, dead and sour, near drowned beneath the stronger scents of smoke and blood and rot. It would seem as if I had found the butcher. The butcher, Sylas, was also the tanner of the village and as such stank like hell. Not many would willingly seek him out, at least those not hungry enough.

As I entered the shop a meaty chop was heard. The bells chimed and Sylas turned to face who entered his establishment. When his eyes came upon a familiar face, he smiled. "Ah Griffith! You're looking as grim as usual. Perhaps a smile here and there would allow a young lass to be fooled enough to lay with you for but a night." He japed. I cracked a smile and this time he put down his cleaver and looked me up and down noticing my dirty body. "Would it have killed you to have washed up first before you decided to stink up my shop? By the gods you smell like shit!" Sylas made an exaggerated motion of being affected by my putrid odor.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Really? You're going to talk about smells? I'm surprised the villagers haven't drove you out yet." I retorted back at him with a brow raised.

He bellowed deeply and waved me over. "Come boy over here, you might as well show me what you got for me today."

I scowled lightly at his comment of me being a boy, I was not. "How many times do I have to tell you, I'm no boy, I'm twenty for crying out loud?" I massaged my temples as they pulsed slightly.

He seemed to ignore me and after a few seconds, I sighed deeply. I made my way towards him and dragged the cart. When he saw the stock that I had, he whistled. "The old gods must have blessed you boy for such a bounty. How in the devil did you manage to fell so many bloody stags?" He asked me, impressed.

I smirked at him. Usually it would be quite difficult to hunt this many animals, however, with my powers it was quite easy and fun to say the least. All I would have to do was blink right behind them and strike, it was quite anticlimactic. "They say that the masters of their craft guard their secrets jealously like a pot of gold." I smirked, it was quite fun to speak like those mysterious old men in stories.

Sylas rolled his eyes at my words. "You, a master? I didn't realize you decided to become a mummer in the time I last saw you." He japed lightly. After a moment, he sighed. "Alright, let us get this transaction over with, I have no time for your madness lad."

I smirked. "So how much for the lot of it?" I asked him.

He eyed the carcasses for but a moment and scratched his chin. "Thirteen stags for lot of them." He declared.

I gave him a deadpan expression. "Thirteen silver stags for half a dozen fully grown stags and all these hares? I didn't realize that you had gotten soft in the head as of late. This is a lot of meat and can feed a lot of families for a month at least. This is worth a hundred stags at the least." I demanded.

He narrowed his gaze. "Aye, but coin is rare as of late, plus traders from White Harbour are said to come soon in the following weeks. Perhaps they would have better wares. Forty stags." He bartered.

I shook my head. "Aye, but you said it yourself the traders will take a few weeks to arrive and you need meat right now. Plus their premium goods will undoubtedly cost a premium as well. Plus this meat is fresh, eighty silver stags." I retorted.

He looked backed into a corner, his mind was racing trying to think of something to retort with. He looked at the bodies and then something clicked in his head. "Seventy stags and I get to keep the pelts."

I looked him in the eye and as we stared at one another, we nodded. I stuck my hand out and he shook it. "Aye, that would do." I agreed to his offer.

He smiled. "So lad, how will you be wanting your shiny coins? All stags or some coppers as well?" He asked.

I thought about it for a minute and then answered him. "Give me sixty-eight silver stags and the rest in coppers."

He nodded and went to the back of his shop. After a few minutes he came back with a large bag and handed it to me. "Don't spend it all in one place boy. Perhaps you could share some of it with a special lady or two." He winked at me.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be going now Sylas. Take care of yourself, perhaps the baths might even let you in this time." I japed lightly as I left the shop.

I strolled down the street, hauling my now empty cart along with me. I came across a tavern of sorts, it also seemed to be an inn of some sorts. At that moment my belly roared like a great beast alerting me of my hunger. It would be good to get my fill at an actual establishment and not eat poorly cooked meat in the woods. With that in mind I pushed the door open and walked on in.

I looked around and it seemed bumbling with life as music and patrons danced and cheered. I took a seat near an empty spot in the tavern and a serving girl soon made her way over. "How may I serve you today, master?" She smiled.

I looked over at her and thought for a second. "Bring me a honeyed roast of your finest meat as well as a few mugs of your finest mead. Also I'll be wanting a room for the night." I told her and paid the sum she asked.

While I waited for the order to arrive, I took in the scenery around me. Songs and people having loud conversations all around me rang out, so loud I almost didn't catch a hushed conversation behind me. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I did as it seemed suspicious.

A man snorted out. "So…is the plan all ready to go, have you rounded up Hadvar and Gimli yet? Did they accept the bribe?" The man rasped out.

Those names rang out in my mind, they were familiar…wait weren't they some of the guards for the village. I paled as I realized that nothing good would come of this conversation. What conspiracy have I come across?

Another man answered him. "Aye, those two have been paid well and they call us cutthroats!" There was a chuckle that rang out in their circle. "We should be good for tonight, they'll leave the gates open and unmanned."

Wait, what the hell were these bastards planning? Don't tell me that these fools were planning a raid on the village, this village isn't even that big. Or maybe that is why they chose this place. My eyes gazed at the people around me and I paled slightly. Perhaps they desire a more lively merchandise. I shook myself and listened in once again.

The original man spoke up once again. "Then let us drink deeply for tonight the rivers shall run red with the blood of many and our pockets fat with coin. Come brothers drink and let's regroup in the Wolfswood. In the dead of night we shall return for the last time!" He shouted lightly and raised his mug in the air and sounds of cheers were heard as they downed their ale and slammed their mugs on the tables. They left soon after, but not before groping the rear end of the serving girl.

Just as the serving girl recovered, she soon brought me my food and mead. I took the mead and downed it in one go. As I wiped my mouth I turned towards her. "I have lost my appetite, please feel free to enjoy this roast yourself, milady." I told her as I made my way out of the tavern, ignoring her cries for me to wait.

I left my cart behind not caring if it wouldn't be there when I returned. There was a sickening plot afoot and I seemed to have found myself right in the middle of it. I trailed behind the men from the tavern, ensuring that I was behind them enough to not alert them of my presence. I passed a man chopping wood and grabbed his hatchet from him. He made to protest, but was silenced after tossing the old fool a few stags without turning back. At the edge of the town, the men scattered and entered the woods where I could not follow closely else be ambushed.

As I reached the line of trees, I sighed. I looked around, but I had lost the men. It would seem that the brigands were smarter than they seemed; they would take no chances. As I was about to take off in a random direction my eye caught a sliver of colour among the dull colours of the forest. I crouched down and pulled at it; it was a ribbon of cloth, torn from one of the men no doubt. I had no idea how useful something like this would be, I had no hounds to sniff it and lead me to where the men where. I pocketed the ribbon regardless, it might serve a purpose yet.

I was not that good at tracking, however, these criminals were not the most subtle at hiding their tracks. All I had to look for was a path of destruction. It would be subtle, but a branch broken here and trampled plants there would paint a picture. I trekked throughout the forest for what seemed like hours. The problem was that the Wolfswood was huge, extremely huge. You could easily spend weeks in the woods trying to navigate around it. The bandits couldn't have chosen a better place to hide.

I looked up at the sky and had to squint as the great canopy of leaves and high branches blocked out almost all light. The sky was darkening and the moon was already visible. Soon it would be pitch black in these lands. I took a single moment to lie down to catch my breath and regain my strength. As I sat down I had visions of home and what was to come. I had just arrived and already so much danger was present. I loved the world of ice and fire because it was so rich and alive. It didn't wait for you to be ready for things, they just happened and everything was very real and brutal. As I was contemplating the philosophy of things, a rustle in the background caused me to shoot forward.

As I withdrew my blade and held it high, I tensed up. The only thought going through my mind being that the bastards had caught wind of me. "Show yourself fiend! Face me with some honour at least!" I inhaled deeply and my eye swam across the darkness that was this forest. I was on guard for anything that would pop out and cause me harm. I twitched at the slightest noise and was getting restless.

Just as I was about to find out for myself what lurked in the dark, it showed itself. At first I had thought a blur of shadow that came to life was dragging itself towards me. However, it was something more. The thing in the darkness was black as the night itself and seemed to have been the spawn of the moon as slivers of white seemed to sparkle in its light. It slunk over to me almost drunkenly as if was not well or it was planning something. It was on all fours, but even in its swayed steps it was silent as an empty room and sounds around it seemed to echo further masking it.

As it came closer, I noticed its size, it was huge as it was long. It could have been three or four feet at its shoulder, I could not tell, and seemed as long as great viper as the body still seemed shadowed by the night. It eyes though, they were menacing. It was said that great creatures of the night have a piercing gaze that when set upon a poor soul would paralyze them in their tracks. Those sinister eyes that seemed to make me think of darkness and death did the same. I seemed to swallow the lump that had formed in my throat and that caused me to regain my senses.

I quickly backed off and pointed my blade at the beast, daring it to come closer. The beast seemed to gaze at me searching my soul for some answer and then all of a sudden it fell to the ground. It was the first sound it made in the whole encounter and I waited for a minute before walking closer. I kept the dagger close and stalked towards it slowly. I kicked the body once and then twice and then waited. When no reaction came I relaxed. I crouched down and examined the body, it was a beast that was more common in the Riverlands, however, was not uncommon in the North. It was a shadowcat, but why did it seemingly drop in front of me. I looked over its body and noticed a piece of wood sticking out of it. I pulled it free and a spurt of blood poured over me caking me in its scent. I examined the piece and noticed it was a bolt, someone had shot the beast, but it had run away only to die before me. My thought was cut off as I heard another rustle.

I stepped back and prepared myself. These creatures were lone hunters, but it was not impossible for it to have teamed up with another and formed a partnership of some kind. As I was about to do something stupid, a small furry creature entered the clearing. I relaxed a little, but was still on guard. The creature was shivering and seemed to be afraid. It crawled toward the dead beast before me, not caring for my presence. It hurt my heart slightly when I saw how it nudged the dead body as if trying to wake it up. Its little cries echoed around me and I could tell it was a song of loss. I looked back at the body and then at the small cat that appeared. No doubt this was the spawn of the shadowcat and was now alone in this dark world.

I crouched down and grabbed the little cat from its mother's side. The sad thing was that it didn't even fight me, it just let me grab it. It looked at me with fearful eyes and was shaking in my hold. It was shivering and cold. I thought about how this child would not live an easy life, it was on the edge of civilization and would be hunted for its pelt or for fun. It would compete with great beasts like wolves and bears for food and it was too young for its mother to have taught it anything. If I left it here it would suffer slowly before dying a gruesome death. With that in mind I brought my dagger towards it throat. I would give it a fast death, an easy one. It could join its mother in the next life, perhaps an easier one.

As I held the dagger towards its neck, its innocent eyes beamed back at me as if it was in tears. My hands shook and I decided I could not go through with killing this child, I was not that cruel. I sighed and sheathed my blade and laid the child on the ground. I caressed it slightly, humming and showing it some love. "Shhhh, it will be alright little one, it shall be alright." I told it and didn't know if I was lying or not.

It seemed like it was hungry so I pulled out some dried meat from my pack and cut off a portion for it to eat. It nibbled it almost cutely, its small teeth trying to tear the tough meat apart. I chuckled lightly and decided to drop the rest of the meat for it to eat. As I was about to leave I noticed it nuzzled my leg lightly. I turned towards it and looked at it. I grabbed it and it purred. I smiled at it. "Do you want to come with me little guy? Join me in my travels?" I asked it and it nuzzled my chin lightly. "So be it, you need a name; Shadow. That will be what you are called from now on." I named it and it cooed at the name.

With that situation dealt with we took off into the night and after a few minutes I had an idea. I looked over at Shadow and pulled out the ribbon. It was a very real possibility that the bolt that killed Shadow's mother was from the bandits in the woods. It would have memorized their scent to avoid them. "Shadow, I need you to smell this cloth. Can you find its origin?" I asked it.

Its nose wrinkled cutely as it sniffed the cloth. Its face soon turned to horror as it linked the scent to one of terror and death. I calmed it slightly by caressing it and it calmed down. "Don't worry, I am here now. You're not alone anymore." I assured it and it calmed down. It took another whiff and then looked towards the left. "So that way?" I asked it and it kept on looking there so I assumed it meant yes.

I sighed and followed Shadow's line of sight. I would change direction whenever the feline would turn its gaze. With the help it was only an hour later where I came across a slight cliff and large clearing. I was both worried and excited. I was happy that I definitely found the camp they were speaking of, however, I was worried as to its size. Dozens of tents littered the clearing and I could make out at least fifty men or more. This was no simple band of bandits it seemed. I hid in the shadows above the camp and watched the men below. I could not make out what was happening, but I noticed that the men were lighting their torches and sharpening their blades. I looked to the sky and noticed that it would be almost pitch black if not for the moon and the fire in the camp. They were going to strike soon.

I noticed a man shouting towards the men in the camp. "We shall march through the night and like the Stranger himself, we shall be the sword in the darkness. Let it burn, let it all burn! Drink for in a moment's turn we shall march and our feet shall be thunder!" The man shouted and the men cheered. I pulled myself back and held a grim face.

I looked to see any weaknesses in the camp and noticed that were none except for the cliff on the edge. I looked towards a tree and then subconsciously fingered my hatchet and then a plan formed. I could only hope it would work. The men below were loud and partying I could only hope it would mask the sounds that I would make.

I grabbed hold of my hatchet and poured all my strength into my blow and struck at the great oak beside me and it shook. I paused and looked back at the camp. They didn't seem to have noticed so I struck again and again and again. I struck the tree like I hated it, like it had done me harm. As the minutes passed, I was getting tired, however the thing with knocking down trees was that you only had to break it till gravity could take over. As I chopped it halfway, I noticed the tree shaking, so with the aid of gravity, I kicked at the base of the tree and it felt like I possessed the strength of the gods as it swayed and dropped towards the ground. A loud rumble echoed throughout the clearing and the men below finally noticed that something was wrong. Before anyone could speak, the great tree rolled downwards towards the clearing. It jumped and roared as it fell and like a great wave it washed against the camp below and seemingly took out most of the camp, until it rolled right off the cliff dragging the men with it.

The screams of agony rang out in the camp below and I decided to make my entrance be known. I blinked towards the middle of the camp and the men around me staggered and fell towards the ground shocked out of their minds. "Demon!" A man yelled out as he pointed a bony finger towards me.

I blinked towards him and he didn't have a moment to react as I plunged my blade deeply within his throat. I withdrew it violently tearing a great chunk of him and leaving him clawing at his throat. The rest of the men seemed to have regained their bearings and I noticed that there might have been a little less than a score of men left. As they charged at me, I blinked again appeared in front of a man and punched him hard in the gut. I pulled the torch from his grasp and pressed it against his clothing. Like it was oiled, it burst into flames and he ran around the clearing screaming, trying to put out the flames, but only making it worse.

I blinked towards the tents and ran by them with my torch held out lighting them all on fire, creating a barrier between it and the forest. There would be no escape for these men here today, this night would be their last. It seemed like a few men were still asleep as screams were heard from inside the tents. They seemed to die out as time passed signifying their death. I blinked towards the men and one by one I appeared before them and slit their throats or parried their strikes with my own. These pitiful shits probably had never been trained a day in their life and it showed. With an average knight's skill I surpassed them and with my ability to blink I slaughtered them.

I grabbed hold of a man and blinked us towards the great pit of fire in the middle of the camp. He was shocked when he reappeared with me which gave me an opportunity to kick him right in the fire. As he cooked in the flames he screamed loudly, but I had already moved on to the next opponent. Just as I was about to strike down another person, I felt a slight sting in my side and noticed that a man had grabbed hold of me to hold me down.

I tried to shake him off, but the man was a massive bear of a man, as I was about feel like passing out, I looked towards the sky and blinked. In the sky we were high and after a second we fell. The man that grasped me started screaming and with his loosened hold I kicked him off me and he released me. I blinked away and in time to see the man fall hard to the ground. If he was not dead then he would be incredibly crippled and would die soon.

I continued my slaughter and at long last a single man stood before me. As I looked towards myself I noticed that I was completely red, painted in the blood of my enemies. With a fire raging behind me I stalked forward slowly like a demon of the night. The man's knees buckled and quivered and a dampness seemed to have formed in his trousers. He pointed his blade towards me shaking it. "W-what are you?" He asked in his final moments. "L-leave me alone!" He shouted and started flailing his blade madly as if I was everywhere and the shadows themselves.

I blinked behind him and stuck my blade deep into him. A wet squelching sound erupted as my blade exited him. He turned to me in horror as our eyes met. "The North remembers." I told him as his lifeless body hit the ground, forever in pain. The statement didn't really fit here, but by the gods did it feel good to say. As I laid in the graveyard that I created, I sighed and my weariness caught up to me.

As I gazed at the bodies before me I realized that I would probably never get a better chance to devour the hearts of the fallen. The moon was out and shined over me brightly and the bodies were still warm, freshly dead. I swallowed the lump in my throat and dragged the last man that I killed and plunged the blade deeply into him, cutting him open and breaking the bones that sheltered the heart. I carefully dissected it and as I held it in my grasp, it almost seemed to pulse like it was still alive.

I brought the heart towards my mouth and as I was about to take a bite, I recoiled as I couldn't bring myself to do something barbaric like this. It was funny how men would eat anything and kill anything, but as soon as another of their race was involved it somehow become taboo. I shook my head and closed my eyes and brought it once more towards my lips and as I licked the foul blood, red glimmered in the distance.

As my eyes fell on a tree, I stopped. The wood was an ashy white like it was a bone of the earth. Red leaves covered the branches like a bloody crown. The most sinister thing about it was the face that stared back at me, judging me and gazing into my soul. Its mouth was deep and wide open and sap seemed to drip from it. A heart tree it seemed. It possessed an ethereal aura and I did not notice as I brought myself towards the tree. As I reached the base I looked into its eyes and somehow I knew of what had to be done. Forbidden knowledge seemed to enter my mind, whispers from the tree as the wind wisped around us.

I picked up the heart with both hands and placed it within the mouth of the tree. The blood and the sap seemed to mix and a vapour danced in the air and entered my nostrils. I felt delirious and the world suddenly turned black. For a moment I thought all was lost, but I awoke and light shone all around me. I found myself in a place of all white. Everything was white from the walls to the floor.

Suddenly a mist entered the room and formed into a table with a rich banquet on it. A chair pulled itself and man or spirit sat itself in it. "Eat my child…you are hungry…sate your appetite." The voice rasped out.

I was startled. I noticed something off about the man; his skin was pieced together as if were a costume, not his true self. "You-you are not alive." I stated, surprised by my sudden fear.

The man licked his lips and frowned at me. "No, you wretched fool death is more than a word. It is a cold hand of rotted flesh, hissing air as foul as a goblin's whisper. Life does not flow through this shell. It is as empty as your philosophy." He hissed out.

I recoiled from his icy words. "What are you? How long have you been here?" I asked it.

"I have wandered through the lands when it was still an infant in its womb. When magic flowed freely like a great river. When creatures of legend roamed around as common as dogs. When the icy barrier in the North was a simple hill. I have seen this world rise and fall many times." He rasped out.

I was startled, how could any creature survive for that long. "Are you a necromancer or some abomination of death? How could you have survived for this long?"

He slammed his hand on the table creating an echo. "Like a fish scuttling on land, you flap your gills, your feeble mind attempting to grasp what is beyond your comprehension. Lichdom is a fool's bargain, for necromancers content spending eternity as skinless wraiths. With a sleight of hand they control their corpse like an avatar, as their souls are bound to phylacteries. I did not subscribe to such cheap necromancer tricks. I sought the path to true immortality, through the techniques long lost to raise oneself to divinity. I live on as my followers exist both in the flesh and the beyond." He let out slowly, to let every word cut deeply.

I paused at that. "Why am I here?" I asked.

He seemed to smile, but it unnerved me greatly. "Men have forgot who I once was. There was a time when I was revered by all…but men forget. Only the trees remember." His voice was soft. "I live in the dreams of all who wander across this world. My lands stretch across the imagination of many and I give my children a place to stay when the mortal world rejects them. You are not here, not yet. You are at the door, but have not lost yourself yet."

I was confused at his words. I began to speak once more, but he cut me off. "Eat child and become one of my own. You have brought me a gift and I shall honour you with your own. Become more." His voice echoed out and his body wisped away.

I looked forward and noticed that the table was gone now, only a single fruit remained and was in my grasp. It was red and shined in the light. It pulsed in my grasp and it drew me forward. My mouth started to salivate and with a snap I tore a chunk of it off. It was delicious, like the sweetest thing that I ever ate. I never felt as good as in that moment. After gorging myself, I noticed my hands were painted a strange red.

A darkness seemed to overcome the once white room. Black as pitch, black as tar, blacker than the feathers of a crow. Light seemed to enter as a trespasser, unwanted and unwelcome, and soon was gone. The shadows in the room danced and made shapes. Finally, smoke misted around me and I found myself back at the clearing once more.

I looked around and the fire was burning brightly like a fallen star. I looked towards the tree and noticed that the heart was not there anywhere. I looked towards my hands and noticed that it was caked red. Before thoughts could form I was alerted of a message.

"**?" has accepted your sacrifice. He has bestowed upon you his gifts.**

**A combination of PERKs have been granted and upgraded due to your Northern blood and hidden talents.**

**The following mutations have been granted.**

**Greater Skinchanger: (Skinchangers are those who possess the gift of entering the mind of others and taking control of their vessels. Most Skinchangers will never be able to take a greater form than that of a dog. You are different, you have the old blood flowing through you freshly. The sky is the limit, however, beware not everything will accept you.)**

**Precognition: (It isn't the Greensight, but it is the next best thing. The spirits of old and of nature will whisper in your ears in times of need. They will warn you of danger and advise you at times.)**

It took me a moment to realize what happened. After a moment I was awoken from my trance from Shadow purring and licking the red liquid off my palms. I had an idea, but I would need to be gentle. It was said that cats would fight tooth and nail for control whenever one wore its skin. Varamyr's shadowcat hated him, but then again he didn't form his bonds gently. He would force an animal to bond with him and he always chose them whenever they were grown and ready to be useful to him. Even men back on my planet could tame great beasts if they started young enough. The shadowcat before me was almost a babe, he would not know it to be wrong. He had joined my company willingly and I had been gentle with it.

With that in mind I closed my eyes and caressed Shadow lightly. Like I was taking off a coat I seemed to slip out of my skin and into another. In the dark recesses of a mind, a worried feeling echoed out. I sent a feeling of calm and reassured Shadow that I meant no harm, that we were now one and the same and that I would protect it. Shadow's mind seemed to relax and a path was lit up. As the light tickled against my eyelids, I opened them.

Almost immediately I could tell something was different. Light and shadows danced in the distance and I could not see as far as I once could. The darkness did not seem so dark anymore, it almost glowed. Everything seemed bigger than it once was and I seemed to wiggle out of some bind. I looked back and noticed my body staring back at me. My eyes were a milky white and I knew I had transferred skins into Shadow.

I took a step then another. I danced around and it seemed exhilarating to experience sensations unknown to man. I felt like I could hear everything and smell everything. Suddenly I trudged towards the corpses of the fallen men and instinctively took a lick. Blood flowed thick and sluggish from the wound on the man's throat. I lapped at it with my tongue, licked the ragged and dead flesh of his cheek, then buried my mouth in his neck and tore it open, gulping down a gobbet of sweet meat. No flesh had ever tasted half as good and I lost myself in my appetite. Finally, when I regained myself I moved on to his chest and with my small claws I tore it open. The heart seemed to glisten in the moonlight and I licked my lips. Like the beast came over me, I devoured it and more. I was about to lose myself in my primal carnage, but a message alerted me.

**Heart Consumed.**

I stood back and then smiled. I got off the carcass and then looked to the bodies littering the graveyard. It would seem that I would feed this night. I ate till my belly almost burst and only stopped when I fell into the gentle embrace of oblivion.


	3. Chapter 3

A wave seemed to crash into deck of the boat drenching the sailors on the vessel. I gazed up at the sky and noticed that dark clouds were rolling in, masking the sky and giving a premonition of darkness to come. A wet towel suddenly slapped right into my cheek alerting me to my surroundings.

"Oi, you lazy cunt! Don't go driftin' off like you bloody own the place. Thinkin' is for those who can afford it!" A nasty looking man snarled at me. I looked over at him and gazed at his tattered clothes, long dampened and ruined by years of sailing. "Now bloody get back to work! That floor ain't gonna shine itself." The man badgered me before sneering and walking away.

I growled in anger. I turned my gaze to the cloth and clenched it tight, choking it and squeezing the water out. Was I truly that desperate to seek refuge among these filth? Sure, I mean at the time sailing and getting the hell out of dodge was the only thing on my mind after that notorious night of debauchery, but I could've at least planned things out a little better.

The act itself wasn't what disgusted me or even how it all played out. The men in that forest were vile creatures, preying on the weak for their own enjoyment, yet what disgusted me was how utterly stupid I was. After losing myself in my greed, I didn't want to just consume one or two hearts. No, I wanted them all. There was close to about forty-five salvageable hearts after the battle and I ate them all. Even the bodies down the cliff. Possessing the body of a cat proved to be pretty useful since the sheer dexterity granted made scaling the cliff almost too easy.

No, what was stupid was the fact that somewhere along the lines I got unconscious with Shadow still at the bottom of the cliff. So him being a baby cat, he would have been too afraid to scale the cliff without my help, and so I began the journey over to him when suddenly I noticed signs that someone had been in the camp recently. Some of the bodies had been stripped clean of their possessions. I began to panic and quickly started gathering all my things and then rushed towards the leader's tent. Inside, whatever money I could fit into my bag I took and then blinked towards the cliff to look for Shadow.

Only after I spotted him did I briefly look back and noticed a set of eyes and human-like features staring back at me from the forest. My heart skipped a beat and I ran forward right off the cliff and as I was falling, I blinked to Shadow, grabbed him and kept on blinking. I don't think I stopped for hours, I just kept on going. It was horrific and I wasn't sure, but I couldn't shake the feeling that if I'd stayed there then I would be blamed for all the deaths and be branded a criminal.

Who knows what other people stumbled upon me during the night. Perhaps some people saw the raging fire like a beacon and ventured into the woods to investigate. Whatever may have happened, I knew my time in the North was done, at least for now. I could never return to Woodstown or the surrounding area. The only respite was that I was caked in mud and blood and covered in plants. They may have not identified me, but I could not take that risk.

The tournament in the North be damned. I had been planning on entering it and making a name for myself, yet it was too small of a reward for such a high risk. No, the next time I would return would be when the king visits to recruit Ned as his right hand man. The tourney in the capital was grand as its prizes. I planned on taking at least the ones for archery and the melee.

I guess the only good thing about being a commoner was that no one really knew you and so you could remain anonymous. I sighed and recoiled slightly as I felt a slight tickle on my neck. I glanced over and noticed Shadow licking my neck trying to cheer me up. I cracked a slight smile and patted him ever so gently. We had known each other for so little time, yet we had already experienced a lifetime together. We had ate as one and that linked us forever.

"Shadow, stop that. You heard what that oaf said, I have to bloody scrub this ship like some common maid. The mighty Griffith reduced to cleaning up bird shit and scraping off barnacles, how the world likes to play with us." I sighed as I ranted quieted to Shadow. He jumped off my shoulder and decided to take a nap right where I had just cleaned. I sighed once again, this was going to be a long day.

As I bent over and began to scrape a barnacle off the side of the ship I flipped over expertly and contorted at an angle that would make a gymnast blush. Luckily the fruits of my labour had not been for naught. I had placed two points into swordsmanship and the other two into gymnastics. I could now perform cartwheels and handstands, perfect for the position of a clown that I had found myself in. Still it was quite fun to move so fluidly and be able to balance on the ropes that adorned the ship.

**Gymnastics-Rank 2:**

**Able to move your body with precision. Able to elaborate flips and tricks. Can slightly contort your body and are more flexible. Slightly increased speed and strength.**

**Swordsmanship-Rank 3:**

**You are not a simple knight anymore, no you are one who has experienced battle and has learned tactics and where to strike to make it count. Experienced knight's ability.**

Still I knew those perks would come in handy for a more nefarious purpose sooner or later. As I scrubbed the ship I noticed a tanned man with a curly mustache make his way towards me.

"Ah Griffith, how your hand seems to buff this shitty wood clean. I could almost see my reflection. Although I think you missed a spot." Derren japed at me in his annoying high-pitch voice while pointing at Shadow. He was a man older than me yet almost sounded like a women.

I scowled slightly at Derren. He was a Dornishman who had apparently decided to sail the world seeing its many wonders. He usually stayed on a crew for a year or two and then hopped on another that would be willing to travel further in waters more treacherous. He and I somehow clicked at mocking the brutish and disgusting nature of the majority of the crew. Some of the members of the crew would even shit right in the middle of the boat in broad-view of everyone. Then one of us 'temporary' members would need to clean it up. More often than not it was me since I had been the newest member.

"Damn you Derren. I'm in no mood for your southron ways. How long is this shit going to last?" I paused as I realized I was cleaning shit and flung my cloth overboard in anger. I looked over at Derren whose grin was threatening to split his face. His blackened teeth gleaming at me and revealing missing teeth. "Not a word out of you, I'm serious." I scowled at him.

He seemed to slink over to me and dropped right next to me. "Ara, ara, well the stars above tell me that we should be arriving on land soon enough. It has been a few weeks now and the wind has been favourable so if it keeps up then we should arrive in Dorne in maybe a day or two." He said while narrowing his single wrinkled eye at the darkening sky. I would always recoil at his left socket being empty, he would never tell me what happened and I never asked too disturbed by it.

I snorted. "No offense, but I plan on getting the hell off this ship the moment we hit shore. Even if they payed me a few dragons a day it wouldn't be worth staying among these pigs any longer." I said as I narrowed my eyes at the older members of the crew having a pissing contest.

Derren chuckled and ran his gravelly fingers through his reddish-brown hair. "Aye, I hear you mate. As you already know, Dorne is where I am from and therefore that would make me the best guide to some northern newcomer." He said while closing his eye, leaving the empty socket open.

I paused and looked over at him strangely, particularly on all the scars adorning the man's body. "I thought you were planning on sailing all the way to Lys to 'take a load off'. Why offer to accompany me, I mean sure we have our back-and-forth every now and then, but still why?" I asked slightly suspicious.

He smirked. "Dorne has some of the best women, it would be good to grace them with my presence." He bellowed out. When he saw my serious expression, he stopped. He seemed to pull his hat over his face hiding it. "I think my time with this crew is over and not for what you're thinking." He pulled his hat off and when confronted with my confused expression he elaborated. "Look at the sky above us. What do you see?"

I looked up at the sky and saw darkened clouds, but that was nothing new. "It looks like it might rain. I don't know, the wind is a little stronger. Why do you ask?"

"I can tell you're very new to sailing, yet I would not fault you even if you were an experienced one. You see the sky speaks to me, the wind whispers in my ear warning me of misfortune up ahead. My dreams lately have been filled with a darkness that is blacker than the very cat next to you. Then it always ends with a redness that seems to consume everything. I dreamt of riding on the back of a corpse risen and it attempts to drag me to the watery depths." He said seriously, watching my reaction.

"I had seen something like that in my time in the water, yet I doubt it is the same thing." He paused and then narrowed his eye at me. "When a man goes to fish in a river, he pulls a fish out of the water. It struggles as it squirms in the air, gasping for breath and looking on in torment as a higher being feasts upon it. Yet what happens when that fish fights back?" He asked suddenly.

I paused. "You mean like a shark, a beast in the water?"

He frowned. "I would've expected you to be a little more imaginative, Griffith. No, when that fish walks like a man, breathes his air and fights back. Yet, he is now the hunter instead of the hunted."

I was taken aback at the mention of his vision and reveal of a fish-man like creature. A few weeks ago I would've called this man nothing more than a crackpot fool, however, what happened before at that tree still confused me. It proved that other than the system and the Old Ones, there is definitely something strange in this world. There were people in this world who once held great abilities, perhaps a sliver survived.

"Your dreams? I was not aware that sailors relied on drunken dreams for guidance. You Dornish favour the bottle, I'm sure you may have seen something, but I think you might be exaggerating." I told him warily.

He narrowed his eye, his anger causing pus to spurt of his other. "You know for yourself that this world still holds secrets. Trust me, you've seen nothing yet. You're from the North so you should be well aware of having special dreams or even being particularly close to an animal."

"What are you implying Derren, speak your mind freely like a northerner not some southern cunt hiding in the shadows." I scowled at him. I was slightly nervous and noticed that a lump formed in my throat with the only thought of how he had found me out.

He stared right into my eyes. "You know you're a pretty shit mummer Griffith. You and I sleep in the same corner of the ship. I know when you think that I've drunk a few too many cups that you call to your cat."

I got up and stood a little away from him. "And calling to a cat is something to be mysterious about?" I asked nervously.

He narrowed his eye. "It is when you do not speak any words, at least not outward. I have voyaged far and deep across this world. I have seen things so strange and mystical in nature you would not believe me. That includes venturing into the North, and I mean the true North."

"Beyond the wall? How did you even manage such a journey? Could a ship even sail there without freezing into the icy waters?" I asked bewildered.

He chuckled slightly. "Yes beyond the wall and as for your other question you would need to sail as near to the wall as you could and then unload many smaller ship to navigate around the ice. You could sail around the ice in a big ship, however, it would add another week or two and you may not survive that long." He revealed.

I stood back and nodded. "Be that as it may, why would you even venture off there? That place has nothing of worth." I asked.

He again looked at me strangely. "That brings us back to the topic at hand. You see the only people willing to sail up there are unfortunately people who are not the most noble in nature. They go up there to procure rare animals up there and look for mystical artefacts from a time forgotten. Others travel for a more lucrative reason."

I was slightly taken aback at the mention of magical artefacts beyond the wall, yet it made sense if the Old Ones wanted to give me a reason to venture there. His last statement had me confused till it hit me and my expression darkened. "Slavers. You travelled up there with slavers." I stated.

He seemed slightly annoyed at me. "Yes, they were slavers, not me, so don't give me that shit. Besides you Northerners would even kill their children if you got the chance to, don't try to act like some morally-righteous person."

I had the decency to look away. If he had known just how far I had gone, would he be disgusted? I had tasted the flesh of man, although not directly it was still taboo. I had no right to judge. "You're right, I'm sorry." I apologized.

"Anyway, as I was saying I had often run into beasts that seemed to possess the intelligence of a man. They would know how to react to our weapons and tools. Sometimes even trying to take them and run off. I have run into men like beasts who snarl like a common dog. So yes, I know what you are. Skin-changers are pretty common in the North. More so beyond the wall." He revealed.

I was flabbergasted. "…How?"

He smirked. "I had suspected it from the moment I laid eyes on your companion. Shadowcats do not make for good pets, and you two seemed unusually close. If that was all then I wouldn't have bothered getting to know you. No, when one night I caught sight of eyes a milky white I knew right then and there you weren't ordinary. Yet, when I saw you disappear one night right in front of me only to appear in the crow's nest but a moment later I was truly shocked." He said and my eyes widened in disbelief. I could work with him knowing that I was a skin-changer, but the knowledge of my blinking was dangerous.

He noticed my expression and raised a hand. "Peace Griffith, I mean you no ill. I would especially not harm a walker, that's what we call your kind in ancient tales and stories. But really why the hell did you think I somehow decided to get to know you? Because we bonded over talking shit about the crew? You do remember that I have been sailing for over twelve years, right? I'm used to barbaric behaviour." He revealed.

I took in what he said then immediately scowled. The bastard had played me like a fool. It all made sense now, he only wanted to get closer to me because of my power. "…You-you…"

He pulled his hat over his face again. "Ara, ara, now you must think I'm a pretty shitty person don't ya? It's ok I understand if you feel anger and hatred towards me, I would if I was in your position, but know this I could've kept that all to myself with you none the wiser." He came close to me and grasped my shoulders. Shadow suddenly sprang up feeling my dark emotions and growled at the man. "Listen, strong people should stick together." He pointed at the crew around us. "You see them, they are all trash; those who do not seek to better themselves and seek something greater than humanity." He pointed towards me. "You on the other hand have already started to surpass it." He grinned.

I frowned and I got up. "You…how are you any different than a man? All I see is a human in front of me, none the better. You wish to stand by the powerful, yet what power do you have to offer?" I asked him, he didn't look like some red priest, but he had to be part of some cult. If he followed the mad god than I would run or at least end him now.

He suddenly pulled his hat off and became serious. He got up and walked over to the railing and looked off into the distance. He muttered something under his breath. Then he turned to me. "It would seem fate had other things in store for us, perhaps you might even get an answer to your question." He chuckled darkly and walked away.

I ran over to the railing and squinted my eyes. I could not see anything. Yet the clouds were darkening and I could see a storm brewing in the distance. As a cloud ripped apart and a lone bolt of lightning crashed down, it illuminated an inky black dot in the distance. No, I squinted harder, it was not that far in the distance. The fog around us only made it seem so. Was that a-a ship? A cold shiver ran through me and my right eye started to twitch as it did when Griffith was in dangerous situations. I ran my finger across the deep scar below the eye and scowled.

I had been scarred all my life, whatever happened today I was not going to lay back and take it. What was power if it didn't mean you could surpass yourself and use it? As that thought ran through my head the rest of the crew seemed to take notice of the ship in the distance. Someone recognized it and started spewing horror in a language I did not understand. From what I could make out it was not a friendly ship.

I saw men dashing around grabbing whatever they could find to fend for themselves. Some grabbed spears meant to fish, others grabbed knifes and the like. Most of the men carried a cutlass or the like, but they were not ready to fight, this was too sudden. The men were drunk and some had only woken up.

Suddenly the man who had thrown the cloth at me from before had begun to shout. "Listen up you useless fucks! That thing in the distance is bad news so I don't want you women piss-AHHRRGGRHH!" He was suddenly cut off by a bolt as long as a man's arm ripping through his throat. I looked into his eyes and bile and blood spurted out of his mouth. He swayed and lost his balance and went overboard.

"Shit, they've got bloody scorpions!" Another man shouted out.

I was slightly frozen from the sudden death, but managed to shake myself off. "Shadow!" I shouted. He looked to me and jumped onto my shoulders. If the worst came to it then I owed these men no allegiance. The only thing was that we were stuck in the bloody sea with nowhere to go and Shadow couldn't swim.

"Shit!" I growled out. "Shadow, stick close to me, only leave my side if I tell you to, alright?" I told him and he seemed to understand.

While there was mayhem on board the ship, I ran towards where the man who just died dropped his sword. I grabbed it and looked it over, it was a saber, in slightly shit condition, but it would have to do for now.

People everywhere were panicking. Some even decided that going overboard was a better fate than facing what was ahead. As thunder boomed across the sky, the ship was finally in range. It was still a few minutes away, but I could now see it clearly. It was a rotten brown, yet was well maintained. It was large, larger than ours, yet it was also faster than ours, perhaps it was not carrying much cargo. The men above it looked ravenous and some even licked their blades in anticipation of the battle ahead. The men were mostly a darker skin, like you would find in Essos.

Some of the men above had markings and tattoos over their faces, and when I noticed some chains around some men, I knew why those men had chosen to abandon the ship, for ahead of us seemed like slavers and that might've been a fate worse than death.

I grit my teeth hard. There was no way that these bastards were going to make off with me and sell me like a common coat. I held my new blade tight and readied myself for the battle ahead. As the men on board tensed up, wary of another bolt coming to them, they waited for the ship to get closer. When no bolt came it seemed as if that bolt was only a warning to stand down. It made sense as they wouldn't want too many people to die lest no more could be claimed as slaves.

I backed off slowly and the men beside me didn't seem to notice as I slunk away to inside the ship. I slowly closed the door and waited. My breath was rotten and ragged, I could see cold wisps as the room filled with fog and smoke alike. There was a silence, too eerie to be natural. Suddenly, the first scream could be heard.

Steel against steel could be heard clanking against each other as the songs of death began. I smashed my fist in the withered door and pulled back my bloody fist, too anxious to care about the splinters in my knuckles. I peered through the cracks in the wood that I created. I looked on as the men on board were slaughtered one by one, the brown-skinned men toying with crew like they were children.

Two men backed a member of my crew near a wall. One started to swing a chain like you would a rope, cackling and licking his lips. It was odd since the man himself was a slave judging by the tattoos on his cheeks. Perhaps he wanted others to suffer his fate or was promised freedom. Whatever it was, he was not compassionate as he whipped the man bloody with the chain. The chain struck the crew member's chin and seemed to dislocate it as he screamed out.

The other man jumped behind him and grabbed his arms and placed iron cuffs on him. I thought that was it expect the man then ripped the beaten man's shirt and trousers and started to wrap it around his neck as his partner in crime undid his belt and seemed to angle himself behind the downed man.

I quickly pulled back as the screams of the man echoed out in the night. My eyes widened in disbelief. I suddenly realized that they were slaves and that meant they wouldn't be able to lay with a women. They were probably only granted relief in situations like these. As the man kept on screaming I tried to go deeper on in the ship, yet I just couldn't for the life of me help but feel pity for the man

No one should had to experience what he just had. "Shit." I cursed to myself. I knew what I was going to do was extremely stupid, yet I couldn't help myself. I aimed my foot up high and kicked the door open, causing the withered and decayed door to fly off the hinges. It burst right in the path of a few people fighting and sent two people overboard.

It was right in the midst of battle so most people didn't notice, yet the men going at it near the wall craned their necks towards me. In a motion I leaned back and drew my dagger and as I flung forward so did my blade. It flew through the air, hissing like a viper. The man holding the sobbing crew member down looked on in horror as it landed in his left eye. He wasn't dead yet, but he felt like it.

"AHHHH, MY-FUCRRKKKK! AGHHHHH!" He screamed out, thrashing about. I turned my head briefly towards the deck and noticed that we were not the focus of the enemy and then I blinked towards that man who had slowly stopped his thrusts and began to pull out. As he did, I materialized beside him and held my saber up high. As his eyes widened and he began to speak I lowered my blade harshly in a slash and gave him the Northern shave. As his meaty sausage began to spasm on the ground, he screamed out in horror as blood jutted out of his groin.

My eyes were cold as he screamed out. I lined my blade with his throat and took a swing. I swung once, digging a quarter into his throat slightly hitting the bone, then again driver it deeper and ripping out chunks of flesh and bone. The third and final swing took his head right off. It rolled off into the distance, the man's eyes had rolled back into his head. A second later another slaver stepped on his skull crushing it with a squelching sound.

As his partner kept on screaming, I blinked towards him and drove my saber through his throat ending his pitiful moans. I looked towards the violated man and realized that he would now live a life of misery, forever shamed by this incident. Perhaps in time he too would enact some kind of revenge on people and aim to do what was done to him. I shook my head in sadness and approached him slowly.

I knelt beside him and ran my fingers through his hair soothingly and he recoiled slightly at my touch. He turned around slowly and I roughly turned him over, to hide the pain of the dagger I had just pierced into him. He looked at me and tears were streaming down his face. He began to speak quietly and then started to mutter gibberish.

I held him down and silenced him with my gaze. "Look at me." His eye started fidgeting and he felt queasy. I suddenly shook him causing him to look back at me. "Look at me." After a moment I sighed and continued. "You're going to die, that's what happening." I told him.

His eyes started twitching and he rapidly moved back and forth. "Wha-" He questioned, by now the blood loss should have set in after his ordeal.

I started to rub his hair. "It's ok. It's ok." I whispered.

His eyes widened as he started to breathe harshly. He tried to back up. "No, no, no, no, no. That can't be. Please no wait." He denied.

I shushed him. "It's ok, it's ok. Look at me, keep on looking at me. It'll slide over you, it'll start to feel warm, nice and warm. Then it'll move over you. It's going to be alright. Let go of all your thoughts. Nice and easy, nice and easy." I whispered as he closed his eyes and I let his body down gently.

My eyes hardened and I eyed the rest of the men fighting, some of them had been killed, yet most had been shackled up. About twenty had died, but the rest were being carried off in chains. The battle was still raging on, the remaining men would rather die than live a life of slavery and I had to respect that. I decided to hell with it if it meant revealing my abilities to these vermin, then so be it.

I would rather be hunted like a dog than be shackled up in chains. With that thought I blinked forward in front of two men fighting and stabbed the one I identified as the enemy. As the men were shocked I blinked away, leaving my crewmate bewildered.

I appeared in front of another slaver and aimed a chop at his wrist which caused him to scream out and drop his blade, then I smashed his nose in with the pommel on my blade and chopped at his neck, causing a geyser to erupt.

I kept on going around the battlefield disappearing an appearing, leaving death in my wake. Soon the men around me ganged up and solely began to focus on me. I blinked around to the corner of the ship and then suddenly one of my own crewmembers took hold of me. "I got yew now, yew bastard! They said if we captured yew then we go free. Go ter 'ell yew bloody northerner!" He let out in a disgusting manner of speech, Grinning as spit dribbled out of his mouth.

I kicked him and tried to back up and smash him against the ship, but he was stronger than me. I blinked rapidly around, but it would seem that a life at sea made him immune to sudden travel and tremors. His fingers started to dig into my neck, trying to wring it like I fucked his mother or something.

"Fuck! Let me go you fucking cunt!" I tried to yell, but my throat was strained. I couldn't even blink high or even away as we were at sea. Suddenly as my vision was becoming blurry, I heard a wet gurgling sound.

I looked up and suddenly the man became a dead-weight. I pushed him off harshly and started to stab his corpse in hatred. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" I screamed out. My ragged breaths were the only sounds for a moment. Then a slight purr was heard. My head whipped around and my cold and wide eyes landed on Shadow's. I looked into his soft eyes and after a moment my shoulders relaxed.

I turned back towards the man and noticed that his throat had been torn out, gazing at Shadow's bloodied lips I knew who had saved my life. I motioned him forward and even in this life and death situation, I embraced him and held him close. "Thanks little guy. I don't know what I'd do without you." I chuckled morbidly.

I placed him inside my coat and told him to stay inside. I looked harshly at the men around me. I know knew everyone was an enemy. As I began to blink around and struck my first target, suddenly a flash of lightning struck extremely close to the ship. The waves around us began to rock unnaturally like a great disaster was soon to fall upon us.

I turned around and looked over at shoulder. Derren had come out of whatever hole he had hidden himself in and was armed with twin short-swords. They seemed to gleam in the light and I could almost see the sweat off his scarred chest steam. Derren swung his sword and blood seemed to splash off it. I was greatly shocked as no one was near him, did he somehow encounter someone below deck.

"Arggh!" Someone cried out behind me. I turned from Derren and saw a clutching at a wound in his chest. He fell to his knees and the men around him backed up as if he was somehow infected. He soon fell over, blood staining the wood below him.

Silence greeted us. Only the cracks of thunder seemed to jolt us back into reality. Derren began to walk almost with a swagger and almost effeminately. It almost seemed like the walk a bird might take.

As he reached me, I stood on guard. Whatever he had just done was unknown and that meant it was dangerous. I had thought him to be a mummer seeking power like a bastard, but it seemed like he was something more.

"Fine evening we're having, aren't we Griffith?" He seemed to chuckle madly and came up to me and suddenly sniffed me. "Ara, ara, you smell like shit Griffith, learn to wash up every now and then." He smirked.

I backed up from him and then took in what he had said. I pinched the bridge of my nose and began to feel irritated. "That smell is not me, you lunatic. It is perhaps the stench of the bloody slavers and all this fucking blood around us! And where the hell were you anyways?" I said irritated.

His eye widened in glee as he patted my shoulder. "Aye, then perhaps we should give them a hand then." He then stepped forward right into the fray and stopped and pointed at the crowd. "Alright, who wants a bath? First one's on the house…or should I say boat." He then began to enter a deep thought as if philosophising about that very concept.

A bald man with a twitching eye pointed his fat finger towards Derren. "He's barkin' mad! He's a bloody madman. Get 'im befawer 'e does 'is tricks!" The man bellowed out, spit flying out as he shouted.

Suddenly two burly men rushed forward aiming for him. I looked over at Derren and was somehow worried for him. He was just standing there. As I readied myself to blink over towards him to help, Derren suddenly raised his left sword and flung it towards one of the men. It travelled at an almost unnatural speed as a sudden wind seemed to pick up aiding the blade in its trajectory. It swung forward and seemed to slice right through the fat man's neck. The blade made a clang as it bounced on the ground.

He suddenly shouted in an almost songlike fashion. "_Elēnar._" He cried out and then a sudden wave crashed into the side of the ship, the wave was a heavy one, it nearly capsized us. As I stumbled and attempted to regain my balance, I noticed Derren's sword had rolled back to him and he kicked it up and grasped it easily.

It seemed just in time as the other man had been delayed by the wave and soon began his charge once more. This time Derren actually moved forward and with grace. As the man reached him, he raised his heavy sword up high telegraphing his move like an amateur. Derren danced around him, jumping at the last second, mocking him. He jabbed forward with tiny pokes and slashes as fast as he could without outright killing him.

He then suddenly one of his blades through the man and pierced his heart. As the blood dribbled and the blade, Derren's unnaturally long tongue jutted out and licked it clean off the blade. The man who had just gotten stabbed was somehow still alive even after getting his heart pierced. As the man gasped for breath, clutching at his throat and flailing his limbs, Derren looked over to me.

He looked me in my eyes and I knew then that he wanted me to watch what he did next. I nodded slowly and he looked away to the dark sky above. "_Jelmāzma māzigon naejot issa, heed issa ēngos, pryjagon issa foe ilagon. Nyke tepagon ao glaeson._" He seemed to sing out, almost like a swan.

I looked on and then my eyes widened incredibly before shutting themselves due to the blinding light that appeared. I creaked my eyelids open and noticed lightning crashed down to Derren and seemed to envelop the man that had his heart pierced. The smell of burnt flesh invaded my nose as the man fried.

I looked on and saw that that sword that was stuck in the man started to crackle with electricity and Derren suddenly seemed to gain this rippling aura. He raised the other sword and slowly waved it around and then pointed it at a slaver. The blade soon turned blue, then darkened. Smoke seemed to radiate off the blade as lightning crackled for but a second and then it shot out forward right into the man in the distance, blowing a hole right through him.

The looked down and suddenly fell overboard and a splash could be heard as his corpse was lost to the sea, becoming the next meal of some fish. The men above the ship were full on panicking now, some of the men jumped overboard and the others jumped back to the bigger ship.

I looked over and noticed that the men on the other ship were throwing jars at our ship and as they broke, liquid seemed to splash out. I crouched down and felt it and the smell was familiar. "Shit!" I cursed as I realized that what they were throwing at us was most likely oil. I ran to Derren and stood side-by-side with him. "These bastards plan on cooking us like a meal. Any ideas! Have any southron tricks up your sleeve?" I asked him desperate for a solution.

He pulled his hat over his face briefly and nibbled on the cloth. "I have one idea, but you need to do exactly what I say. Make sure you hold onto that cat of yours because it's going to be one hell of a bumpy ride. Say you can swim good, right?"

I looked over at him and subconsciously held Shadow in my arms tightly. "Wait, what?" I asked confused.

He smirked. "Details, details, I'm sure you're going to be fine." Then he suddenly tensed up. "_Ōños va perzys._" He sang.

"What are you…?" I was cut off as a huge bolt of lightning ripped out of the sky and blasted right into the boat. The force launched me backwards and suddenly I felt someone grab hold of me and throw me overboard with tremendous force, saving me from the flames.

Wooded planks exploded and started flying away and the ship burned like a funeral pyre. The shock of the explosion sending me deep in the water, thrashing about like a common fish. I gasped and fought against the waves as I couldn't breathe. I had accidently swallowed some water and was now on the verge on having a spasm attack. I suddenly looked up towards the surface and blinked towards it.

As I took in a deep breath of fresh air, I started to cough out harshly. I choked out the water that had gotten in me. As I calmed myself, I suddenly felt a deep worry. Shit where was Shadow? "Shadow!" I shouted. Luckily he seemed to hop onto my head at that very moment. I let out a sigh in relief, it was a good thing that Shadow could probably hold his breath longer than I could.

I then noticed something in the distance that caught my ire. It was not the burning ship or the slavers dancing on board, but rather a certain Dornish bastard. I swam furiously towards him and he turned around to greet me.

"Ara, ara, Griffith good to see you…" He was suddenly interrupted by my fist smashing right into his cheek. He turned over to me and grinned before spitting out a blackened tooth. "Ara, ara, now is that any way to greet your friend?" He asked annoyingly.

I grit my teeth. "You southern bastard, what the hell did you do?" I shouted at him.

He raised a brow. "You mean aside from saving us, providing knockback to bring us closer to the enemy ship all while destroying any evidence that we may have survived so the slavers wouldn't expect us coming for them?" At his cocky words my anger faltered for a moment, what he said was true. "Aside from that I tried to cool your blasted Northern ego off, but clearly even the gods cannot work such a miracle." He japed, and I scowled once again.

He raised his arms in surrender. "Look we can discuss tactics and the like later, but for now the enemy is getting away." He pointed behind him and I realized that he was right. After witnessing and the mystic shit that took place during the battle, clearly the slavers had thought they had bitten off more than they could chew and were getting the hell out of dodge.

I looked over to him and then shook my head and began to swim close to the ship. The only problem was that we would never be able to catch up to a ship just swimming against the tide. I scowled and looked over to Derren. "Oi, hold on to me, I'll get us closer to the ship, it might take a few jumps though." I ordered him.

He paused in his strokes and looked at me, his lone eye putting me off balance. He smirked. "Well I'm the first aren't I?"

I looked at him in confusion, what was this crazy bastard thinking of now? "My first what…?"

"Why, the first person that you have taken with you and experienced your power." He exclaimed.

I gave him a deadpan look. "You do remember the man on the boat that I blinked around with…right?"

He seemed to deflate as if remembering the very situation. "Oh right…"

I shook my head at his antics. "Look just grab hold of my arm before I change my mind and leave you to become fish food." I ordered and he quickly latched on.

I blinked away, it took me three times, but I managed to reach the side of the boat. Derren quickly pulled his blades out and stabbed them into the wood and started to climb the ship. "Well, you just gonna stare or are you going to get a move on?" He asked. I sighed and moved towards the ship and plunged my blade deep into the wood.

As we climbed up, we soon reached the railing, and as a slaver passed by us, Derren quickly reached out and pulled him overboard. His screams were muffled by the storm raging overhead. We jumped over the railing and onto the deck. The fog seemed shadow us and we scurried across the ship like rats preying on their next meal.

He ran towards a dark part of the ship and waited. As a few men passed us by, we grabbed them and slit their throats. "Listen Griffith, no time for morals and the like here, we kill them all, understand. Use your power to blink around and kill them silently. As soon as we kill the ones above deck we can move on." He told me and I nodded gravely.

I blinked across the deck like a painter, painting strokes of blood on the canvass that was this ship. After the bodies piled up, Derren motioned towards me signaling that there were no more men above. I blinked back to him and we began the descent into the ship below.

As we cleared the halls of men, we realized that most of the men were probably dead, this ship was probably only now filled with what slaves they managed to capture. After searching the last of the rooms, we noticed a room leading to the bottom of the ship. We creaked the door open and noticed whipped and beaten men and women chained up like common animals. Luckily no children shared their fate.

I closed the door slowly. I backed up and noticed that Derren had been staring at me. "What is your price?" He asked suddenly.

I was taken aback. "My price?"

He narrowed his eye. "Yes your price, as in your price for using your gifts. All higher powers cost something, for instance death is needed for my gifts. The red priests light some poor fool on fire whenever they need something. So the question is what the hell do you require to gain power?" He asked me. "And do not presume to lie to me, I can tell if you do." At that moment pus seemed to worm out of his empty eye socket.

I swallowed a lump from the disgusting sight ahead of me. I could lie and then he may or may not find out and that might result in a fight I do not know I could win. Or I keep it to myself and somewhere along the lines he figures out later. I can't keep what I do a secret forever, somehow someone will eventually find out. I could only hope that this sadistic bastard isn't repulsed by what I do.

"…Flesh…the heart…" I let out weakly.

He looked at me strangely and after a moment he grinned. "Cannibalism? I knew Northerners were barbaric, but not to this extent." He seemed to cackle. At noticing my clenched fists he lost his grin. "Look calm down, I've been to Asshai before. Trust me I saw there made what you do for power seem like a field of flowers. But really, in Essos cannibalization is done a lot not only for power, but just to dominate a person, and it is done often. People have always held a belief that the consumption of another would grant them power, for if a fish grants you the ability to survive for a day, so what will the man who caught the fish give you?" He revealed.

I looked at him. "What are you talking about?" I questioned him.

He smiled. "We are what we eat. If one eats a lot of swine, they slowly begin to develop features like a pig, so does a man gain powers when presented with a buffet of his friend. But worry not I do not judge Griffith. Others might, but I never will. I will always favour those who seek out power, for there is nothing that I hate than when someone chooses to remain weak. So get ready." He said.

"Get ready for what?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes. "Get ready to grow in strength there is feast aplenty. Corpses litter this ship like rags and there are more ready to be made waiting below in chains." He declared.

"But the men are innocent below. They've done nothing." I tried to reason.

He seemed to close his eye. "In this world power can only be gained through struggle and death. Kings fight bloody wars sacrificing common men for their own desires of ruling above them all. Is it somehow better that they don't deal the final blow to the men they send out to die. No it isn't. At least with us their sacrifice truly means something." He said soothingly.

I looked at him weirdly. "What, but I can't…" I let out.

He scowled at me. "And why is that?

"For one thing the moon needs to be out as I consume the heart." I revealed.

He seemed to scratch his chin. "What strange conditions, well we can certainly work around that. Follow me." He said as he walked into the slave quarters.

I followed him and we came across a beaten up slave. Derren seemed to pull out a key out of nowhere and suddenly unlocked him. He fell into his grasp and started to thank him profusely for freeing him. He told him not to worry, that he was only doing his duty. I slightly frowned at his blatant lies. The man was going to die for sure.

He led the man up the stairs and onto the deck and told him to stand in the middle. As the man did, Derren suddenly stabbed him right in the lung. "_Gīda jēdar._" He sang out and the fog and clouds seemed to part.

As the moon glittered onto us the man gasped one last time. "W-why? You-you have no honour." The man rasped out as he fell.

Derren stood over him and scowled at him in disgust. "Honour? Honour is just a lie that you tell yourself to feel better about murder." He spat out as the man was no more.

He walked over to me and pushed me towards the body. "Grow stronger, you have no excuses now." He said.

As I began to call out Shadow, he suddenly stopped me. "No shortcuts. I see now that you've somehow managed to bypass a requirement and gain sustenance through your cat, but you're only neutering yourself in doing what you do. You walk on crutches like a cripple and will fall to the ground crying like a babe if you lose this method. No you need to eat like a man." Derren said.

I narrowed my stare at him. "Or else what?" I asked.

He looked at me coldly. "Or else I will kill you as you slip into the skin of your cat. I already said I hate weak people above all else. Now eat." He threatened.

I held in a breath and turned away from him. I knew I couldn't run away from this and as much as I wanted to hate Derren with all my heart for doing to me, I couldn't fault him. I could not rely on Shadow for my hunger forever. With a sigh I raised my dagger and cut the flesh off him. I tore away at the bones and suddenly the heart was in my grasp.

It was wet and squishy like a grape, yet smelled like iron and piss. With a slight tremor in my hands I brought the cursed flesh towards my lips and took a deep bite. Sweet juices flew into my mouth as my tongue seem to lap at the blood spurting out like a faucet. I tore greater chunks off and wondered why I hadn't done so before.

**Heart Consumed.**

I licked my lips as a madness seemed to consume me. I had tasted the flesh of man and I wouldn't be able to go back. I looked over at Derren in a daze and he smiled. "Well what are you waiting for there's a feast waiting for you just down the stairs." He let out.

I almost ran giddily down the stairs as the hunger threatened to consume me. Derren creaked open the door and we were greeted with faces full of hope. The people begging us to free them. "We will free you alright." Derren chuckled. "But first, let us let in a little light." He grabbed a women and stabbed her in the stomach. "_Pryjagon se dōros_." He sang out and lightning seemed to crack through the wall breaking it and letting in the rays of moonlight.

As I gazed at the moon above I smiled. After the first few minutes the screams seemed to muffle themselves as I filter them out. The only thing on my mind being power. I was so close to evolving.

**Heart Consumed.**

**Heart Consumed.**

**Heart Consumed.**

**Heart Consumed.**

**Heart Consumed.**

The notifications kept on coming in and at last I was done my feast. The bodies that littered the ground stank up the ship, but I could not care, I began to ascend the stairs to stand above it all and gaze at the heavens. Derren followed me up.

He soon took hold of the wheel and began to steer. "What are you doing?" I asked him.

He kept on staring ahead into the distance. "We're going to Essos, the land of magic and mystery. With you at my side Griffith, nothing can stop us. I have a special tomb in mind to stop by at first." He cackled out.

I shook my head. "Should prove to me interesting, I think I'm going to sleep for a bit." I told him and he nodded towards me.

As I entered a cabin, I fell and laid down in a bed. Suddenly I willed the system to come to life.

**CONGRATUALTIONS!**

**You have just earned your first Special PERK point.**

**Use it well.**

**Your choices are below:**

**Esper Awakening:**

**Upon awakening, espers possess the natural abilities to utilise psychokinesis, allowing them to manipulate things with their mind. They all have the basic ability to see spirits, sense others with psychic power and also create a protective barrier around themselves. Other abilities may be gained through training. Most espers will develop a unique ability.**

**Symbiote:**

**Ancient civilizations have often spoken of a darkness that was so demonic in nature that even those that dabbled in the dark arts were wary of seeking it out. Even those in Asshai and the bravest of shadowbinders would not dare to be possessed by this ancient creature. In truth the darkness is an ancient alien symbiote that lived in the deep dark recesses of space and in essence has evolved what would seem like supernatural abilities in this world. It needs a host to stay alive so the only requirements are that you are alive, being a thrall will cause the symbiote to reject and then turn on you.**

**Pocket Dimension:**

**The pocket dimension is an extra-dimensional ability which allows the user to store things into it. Its special ability is control the dimension and its contents. It connects the space of reality to the pocket dimension, opening an "invisible door" between dimensions that allows for the contents to pass through upon their owner's command.**

**Devil Fruit:**

**Devil fruits are fruits that give the consumer of said fruit a supernatural ability. These range from morphing into animals, to becoming a rubber man, to even becoming the living embodiment of ice. These fruits are only held back by the user's creativity. You can choose the category of fruit you wish to receive, then you will get a random fruit from that category. The user loses the ability to swim and his devil fruit ability will become null in the water.**

**Stand:**

**Stands are the personification of a person's fighting spirit and will whose abilities are given visual form. It generally presents itself as a figure hovering over or near the user and possesses abilities beyond that of an ordinary human, which, depending on the Stand User, can be wielded for good or evil. These abilities can range from weird to godly, however, every single stand has the potential to become the strongest; your imagination is the only limit. You are given one based on your life choices and personality.**

**Dead Bone Pulse:**

**It allows the user to freely manipulate their bones. You gain the ability to control your osteoblasts, osteoclasts and the ability to regulate your bones' calcium density. You can grow bones anywhere on your body and they will regenerate indefinitely.**

**Vampirism:**

**A strange stone mask appears before you, you decide to put it on like an accessory. Your finger grazes across the cold stone and pierces itself upon the edges. Suddenly everything goes black and you fall into a deep slumber. When you awake, you are something else, something more. However, beware the light.**

**Mirror-Man:**

**You gain the power to bend light around you in order to disappear from sight. With enough training you can redirect light in order to make illusions appear. The user gains the ability to absorb light and then can release the stored energy as a burst of plasma or focused like a beam. Much more lays behind this, yet the greatest boon to this ability is to negate the deadliest weakness of a vampire. In essence you will be immune to sunlight.**

**Caller:**

**You hear a ring in the distance. A phone is ringing in an abandoned booth. You approach and pick it up. It asks if you accept the call, like an operator connecting lines. However, in this case the reception has a little more range. You can summon random beings from other realities to your current dimension, if they will play along is another question altogether. Cannot choose who will answer the call.**

Those were a lot of abilities, I couldn't help but feel that all the chaos was worth it in the end. I wanted them all, yet when I saw it I could only choose one first. I wanted a devil fruit, yet it would be stupid as hell to choose it while I travelling on a boat, so it would have to wait.

No the only thing that caught my mind was the 'stand'. They held unlimited power in bizarre ways that could be unlimited. Your imagination truly was the limit for such an ability. With that in mind, I selected it. "Stand!" I shouted out.

**[Stand] Chosen!**

**Congrats Player you have taken the first step in your long journey to the top!**

**The mutation will soon take place, do not panic as you begin to lose consciousness.**

**Determining stand…Done:**

**Tsk, tsk, you've been a naughty boy, eating things that you shouldn't have, yet you desire power above all else.**

**Stand: Grand Cuisine**

**Powers of stand remain up to you to discover, yet a clue will be granted upon awakening from your slumber.**

**Remember the stand is only limited by you.**

**Farewell Player! For now oblivion awaits.**

As the message faded away so did my vision. I could only dream of what power I now held. The future was in my grasp.

* * *

**AN: Alright so I don't usually do author notes since I feel some type of way towards author notes. Regardless, I felt that it was necessary here. Look, as you can see in my bio I write fics mostly for myself whenever I'm bored. This particular fic was written after my friend had asked me to write for ASOIAF, but wanted the power to have a price that was unforgivable. Murder nowadays is seemingly tame as 5-year-old kids shoot each other online and the fact that so much death occurs in our world today. Me and my friend sat down for a while and really thought about what was so horrible it could never be justified. We ended up on cannibalization after replaying Until Dawn. The game follows choices you make and sometimes the choices you make can give you power, yet take something away in the process. When you eat flesh in the game you turn into a wendigo, something that is almost impossible to kill, you gain so much power, yet lose your humanity in the process. That is what I was trying to encompass with Griffith. If you hadn't realized he's the mix of two different personalities, his old self, and the reader of the series.**

**Look I know some of the power might seem a little overpowered, but the very fact that it is a gamer fic makes it OP by default. The way to succeed in writing strong characters is to write even stronger villains. Also fun fact, In the first draft of this fic, Derren ended up getting killed by Griffith, but as I started to write Derren's backstory, his dreams and ambitions, what happened to him as a childhood, etc., I came to the realization that he would be a key part of Griffith descent into madness/power. At least in this fic, I try to add psychological elements when I can. For those who cannot realize it. Griffith is not fully in control of his emotions, he's being swayed by a higher power. I would not generally reveal something like this, but people keep on bringing shit like that up. If something dropped you a fictional universe, it would expect you to do what it wanted to, not give you a choice, it would only give you the illusion of a choice.**

**If you also cannot realize it, the OLD ONES are essentially the mad gods of Lovecraft's creation. If you know anything about his style of writing or his stories, you all know that the characters usually descent into madness after experiencing the supernatural. There are some things that shouldn't have been tampered with. If you also don't know, Lovecraft is one of GRRM's fav authors, he actually references several times in the series, which I'll try to include and expand on.**

**So look if you don't like the fic, no one's forcing you to sit down in a chair and read it. I know this fic isn't for everyone and that is alright. There is plenty of other fanfic on this site, you should read one of them. I mostly create fic for me to read in my spare time, as it's a convenient way to read what you want when you want. I have a second GOT fic that doesn't use sacrifices for a power source and is more based around D&D, if you feel that this might be a little too edgy for you, then check that out. I promise you this is the only psychological fic that I've written. The next fic I'm probably going to upload is along the lines of a happy tone. You can ask for it by PMing me or writing in the review.**

**Again let me know, your thoughts. Also please don't mindlessly bash it if you don't like it, I'm not writing it for you, it's mainly for my friend, if you want to read it then sit back and enjoy, if you don't then you can see yourself out. Also, I apologize if I don't get back to people's questions in the reviews, I rather like to show you through the storytelling rather than outright give you an answer. Also, know that the updates will be on and off. I have a full-time job in real life and only write sometimes when I'm free as a hobby. Again my fics are mostly for me, but I believe in giving back, I've been reading fanfic for a long time and enjoy it. So I publish my fics on Fanfic for the chance that others might enjoy.**

**So yeah, I might continue to do author notes from on, so if you have any questions and concerns feel free to let me know. I might reply right away as I only log back in when I'm either in the mood to read or publish something. So again, happy reading, if this is not your cup of tea then I hope you find something you like better after all this is fanfiction.**


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